The Spokesman-Review

Activists in southeast Spokane are forming the Moran Prairie Neighborhood Association to fight higher-density developments in their fast-growing area.

Nearly 100 residents showed up at the Moran Prairie Grange Hall last week for a meeting on a proposed apartment complex and shopping area.

Neighbors said they fear the impact of the proposed development by Cedar Builders Inc. on 27 acres at the southeast corner of 57th and Regal.

Developer Rich Naccarato said he wants to hear neighbors’ concerns about his development, and that’s why he agreed to attend last week’s meeting.

Susan Brudnicki, one of the leaders of the neighborhood group, said apartments and commercial developments are threatening to disrupt the semirural lifestyle on Moran Prairie.

She said she’s been living in the area for seven years and is concerned about the quickening pace of growth.

“We moved here because it was rural,” she said. “We don’t want it to turn into 29th Avenue.”

Higher-density developments will simply increase traffic and endanger motorists, cyclists and pedestrians using the neighborhood streets.

Not only are residents concerned about the proposal by Cedar Builders, they are also keeping an eye on several other projects that would bring more apartments and offices to the area.

Spokane County is poised to encourage urban growth in the neighborhood.

The county commissioners last month included land north of 65th Avenue as part of the urban growth area under growth management.

At last week’s meeting, county engineers talked about plans to widen 57th Avenue between Perry and the Palouse Highway. The arterial street would remain a two-lane thoroughfare, but the improvements would add a center turn lane, 4-foot bike paths, curbs and sidewalks.

The neighborhood group has scheduled an organizing meeting for 7 p.m. Monday at the Moran Prairie Grange.

Two other neighborhood meetings are planned to allow residents opportunities to talk about the increase in traffic that would be generated by the Cedar Builders proposal.

The first traffic meeting will be March 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Grange hall. A follow-up meeting will be April 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Grange.